London Flashcards
Who wrote London
William Blake
Form
Dramatic monologue - narrator speaks passionately and personally about the suffering he sees.
The ABAB is unbroken to echo the relentless misery of the city. The regular rhythm could reflect the sound of his feet as he trudged
Stucture
Relentless images of downtrodden, deprived people. The first two stanzas are about the people he hears and sees them the focus shifts to institutions he holds responsible. Final stanza returns to looking at ppl, showing how newborns are affected
Quote
I wander through each chartered street - suggests the whole city is affected and he feels powerless to change what’s happening
Quote
Chartered Thames - even powerful, natural features like the river is under human control
Quote
Infants cry of fear - vivid, hellish experience
Quote
Blackening church - could suggest corrupt or the ugliness of the industrial revolution
Quote
Runs in blood down palace walls - ordinary ppl suffer but those in the palace are protected behind walls
Quotes
Blasts the new-born infants tear - the innocence of newborn is lost instantly , society damages its members
Quotes
Blights with plagues - destruction , uncontrollable
Quote
Marriage hearse - oxymoron suggest happy image of marriage with dead - everything has been destroyed
Context
Blake wrote 2 volumes of poetry this one is ‘songs of experience’ looking at how innocence is lost and society has been corrupted
